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329 Friday 21 September 10:30 Darling, As a result of last night's party I feel all ripe and ready for you right now - MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM…! just to think of it. The party was fun; the little bamboo hut sukiyaki affair was the best yet, Saito carried her song off well, the decorations were most attractive and the food and entertainment in general good. Some photographs were taken and I hope to be able to get one to send you. Having picked up our dates at four-thirty for a couple of drinks at the Officers’ Club, we were at the bamboo suiji from 6-8 and then returned to the Club for dancing to the first orchestra we've had (a small, five-or-six-piece affair, but quite smooth). I enjoyed my date more than I expected to. It was partly that I had a lot to drink* - not too much, for it was no strain to drive back afterwards - and partly that I needed just such an escape from *afternoon and evening, [?] cokes-with-rye (a good ounce and a half) garnished, if you can call it that, with limes. [pg 2] daily routine, but largely because an early feeling of camaraderie which developed between us as a result of our both being married and in love, and consequently feeling a certain freedom or lack of awkwardness we might have had if one was and the other wasn't. She could tell me, for instance, amusing stories about her fellow nurses and their habits, their loves and their distractions. She (Evelyn Ball by name - 1st Lt., Kentuckian) expects to leave the island in two or three weeks or not much longer, getting out of the service as a married woman, and said that she would love to look you up or at least telephone from San Francisco if she goes by way of there. It would be fun to have her. We could talk a little, too, about babies: it seems that when she married, in the service, they tried - “but you can't always accomplish what you set out to in twelve days,” she says merrily. That's all the time she and her husband, a 1st Lt. [in?] now Germany, had together. I'll probably see her again before she leaves. Lowe's date, a friend of hers, couldn't come last [pg 3] night but made a consolation date with him for a week from Sunday to go to the beach. Nurses may not go out singly but must always be in groups of two or more. Oh, sweetie, what I couldn't do for you now! You are always in my mind, but the scent of a woman, where it is delicate and not obtrusive, as well as dancing make me feel as though you were within reach of my fingertips. The time will come. This morning I received a call from Comdr Kenney (the exec.) to drop in at his office, and on doing so I was shown my fitness report to read - a courtesy which I have not before encountered. I was described as an “Intelligent, neat, enthusiastic - and - two-or-three-other-adjectives young man” and (on a scale of “Bottom 10% - Lower 20%-middle 30%- upper 20%-Top 10%) was rated upper 20% in ability to perform the duties relative to my specialty (i.e., an Education Officer) and the same thing in answer to ‘How [pg 4] would you recommend him for promotion?’ In answer to the question, ‘If you were considering this man as a member of your staff or unit, would you a) Definitely not want him, b) Prefer not to have him c) Be satisfied to have him d) Be pleased to have him e) Particularly specify him My rating was d). I am quite pleased with this report, because Capt. Dodds doesn't grade lightly, but mostly because I am a little too independent to make an ideal Navy officer or to expect to be rated as one, and have mixed relatively little with the group as a whole (just too busy). A man is, often unconsciously, judged pretty strongly by the latter. 7:45 pm Gosh Sweetie, no sooner had your three letters arrived with mention of Lt Comdr Goodman and the possibility of working on him than things began to happen. But I'll begin in chronological order. [pg 5] My reaction, frankly, to your suggestion about writing Goodman was negative - not because I wouldn't like to do everything possible (and am glad to hear any such information as that which you may pick up - you've done a good job of keeping me posted in a number of ways) to get out soon, but because I know Navy ways well enough by now to suspect that it would be fruitless and possibly prejudicial. Nevertheless, I asked around and found some were here who know Goodman; what they had to say of his personality and receptiveness to any such hints or knowledge of conditions out here was not particularly conducive to taking even such an unofficial step. Then I sought out Henry Groehn and Mac (Quarrie), the only two left in the group I came out with; they felt the same way and asked not to be mentioned if I should decide to write for [pg 6] myself. Both of them shared my feeling that in any case we'll probably be out of here in four or five months and the Navy in six. That was at noon. About two o'clock Comdr Kenney telephoned asking both Lowe and me to come down to the Captain's office. It turned out that they were interviewing all men with anywhere near the requisite number of points to see what their desires were with regard to getting out and when (some fun, of course, having just left the States, don't want to return next week or month but would like to put in four or five months - none any longer - and return). The Captain explained that of course he could make no commitments, but that he did want an answer based on what each individual would choose if he were [pg 7] completely free to write his own orders. He also mentioned the existence of a pool [he received a letter today from CincPac M.G. asking for a list of all men for whom reliefs would be sought during the next few months] and the apparent fact that reliefs would be available for all men who were close to the necessary point total and would make it in 6 months. My answer: I should like to continue working here 3 or 4 months longer, then return to the States and get out of the Navy directly. Before making this reply, I had asked the Captain whether, if I failed to answer that I wanted to leave as soon as possible rather than in 3 or 4 months, I would be likely to be stuck [pg 8] here beyond that time. He replied with a decisive no, implying that a relief could be requested for any certain time. No as to my reasons: there are two of them. (a) The controlling factor is that while, as an M.G. officer, I could probably get out of the point system exemption once back in the states, I am not so certain that I could get out of my other exemption as a language officer. A few months from now the language personnel situation will not be critical and I will certainly not be sent to Japan. Now I think there's a good chance that I might be - and no matter what you may hear in the future as to Boulderman so-and-so's getting out, you just can't generalize on the basis of such things; that wouldn't necessarily mean that they’d let me out. So I played it safe, and even [pg 9] if we have a couple of months by my decision I am persuaded and will remain so that it was the wisest one I could have made here and now, with what information I have available. b) a contributing, though not the critical, factor in my decision was that, other questions aside, I look forward to the work of the next three months as I have not looked forward to it at any time since I've been here. Lowe and I are working out a sensible and comprehensive English program which will be far superior to what the school has engaged in so far; and the material will be in such a form, if I have the time to round it out, that I think I will be able to work it into a good thesis without too much labor after I [pg 10] return. (I do not, of course, intend to work on it immediately!) But whether or not I use it, it will have been a satisfying experience, and the kind of thing I’d like to have done from the beginning. It was distinctly not possible then, even if I’d had a free hand, because it depends on the use of the auditorium (only recently finished), 2 or 3 Reflectoscopes* we have just succeeded in scrounging from B-29 units that are breaking up and would never have released them and other factors. So it's really a logical extension of work that we've done so far, and continues to be pioneer stuff, tho with the emptiness shifting from building and organizational work to academic work, or where it should be in the *Projection device for showing on a screen any damn thing you put in it - Magazine pages, books, flowers, if fairly feat, etc. [pg 11] conduct of a school. Well, darling, isn't that wonderful news! Let's be cautious, now - let's say that I'll actually be home early in April, or a little more than 6 months from now. It may be earlier, but let's call it April and sort of salt that time away. Then if it is any earlier, that'll be pure bonus. Oh, sweetie--! Again, a reminder that I'm not committed to my plan of going back to school with h.s. teaching as an interim livelihood, but I am considering it seriously. Meanwhile I await your reaction. [pg 12] And whatever I do end up doing, this planning write now is giving me something positive to work on, a stimulus whose value will extend to anything I may do later. I have lots more to write you, darling, but I think nine o'clock would be an appropriate bedtime for your wayward husband tonight! I'm a little surprised that I've had no hangover today- I did take a couple of Alka-Seltzers- but I think that moderate eating, dancing and spacing my drinks took care of that. I just feel pleasantly fatigued and ready for a good night's sleep. Glad you liked the EFM. Didn't keep track of the date - thought it would be on it. But the next one, which you've doubtless received by now, was sent on the 20th. I love you darling! Warren
